Karenna Groff, Dr. Michael Groff, Dr. Joy Saini, and James Santoro Among Six Killed in Copake, NY Plane Crash: Family of Medical, Academic, and Athletic Excellence Lost En Route to Passover Gathering

Copake, NY – A private aircraft crash on Saturday in the tranquil rural community of Copake, located near the New York-Massachusetts border, has resulted in the tragic deaths of six individuals, shaking not only the families and friends of the deceased but also the wider academic, athletic, and medical communities across the country.

Among those confirmed killed in the crash are Karenna Groff, 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year and MIT soccer standout; her father, Dr. Michael Groff, a renowned neurosurgeon; her mother, Dr. Joy Saini, a leader in the field of urogynecology; and James Santoro, Karenna’s boyfriend and fellow recent MIT graduate.

The group was reportedly en route to a family gathering in the Catskills to celebrate the Passover holiday when their aircraft, a twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B, encountered a fatal event and went down in a remote, muddy field near Copake, NY, shortly after noon on Saturday, April 12.

A Devastating Loss of Promise, Purpose, and Legacy

The crash has left friends, colleagues, academic institutions, and entire communities mourning a loss that is as profound as it is painful. The victims were not just high achievers in their fields; they were described as compassionate, deeply committed individuals whose shared values of service, excellence, and family defined their lives.

Karenna Groff, just 25, was a rising star by every possible metric. As an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), she was a standout both in the classroom and on the soccer field. Her athletic excellence earned her national recognition, culminating in the prestigious 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year award, honoring not only athletic ability but also academic performance, leadership, and community engagement.

Karenna graduated from MIT with a double major in biological engineering and computer science. After graduation, she had been involved in a medical technology startup aimed at improving diagnostic tools in underserved regions. Friends recall her as “brilliant and grounded, always lifting others up with her presence.”

“She was a once-in-a-generation kind of person,” said her former teammate, Aisha Patel. “She led by example, never sought the spotlight but always earned it. What she stood for mattered even more than what she achieved.”

Her father, Dr. Michael Groff, 58, was an accomplished and widely respected neurosurgeon and neuroscientist, having led several key research initiatives at academic hospitals in Boston and New York. He held professorial roles at Harvard Medical School and later Columbia University, where his work on spinal and cranial surgery techniques earned him national acclaim. Piloting the aircraft at the time of the crash, Dr. Groff had logged over a decade of flight experience.

Dr. Joy Saini, 56, Karenna’s mother and Dr. Groff’s wife, was equally distinguished in her own right. A urogynecologist and medical educator, Dr. Saini dedicated her career to women’s health, especially underserved populations. She was involved in several global health missions and taught extensively at medical institutions in the U.S. and abroad. Colleagues described her as a compassionate healer who constantly advocated for patients beyond the exam room.

Karenna’s boyfriend, James Santoro, 24, was a recent MIT graduate in mechanical engineering and an aspiring entrepreneur. He was currently pursuing graduate research on sustainable energy systems, and was described by his professors as “the kind of mind that could shape the next century of clean energy.” His relationship with Karenna had been a joyful one, and the couple had often spoken of building a life rooted in shared passions for innovation and public service.

The other two individuals aboard the aircraft have not yet been publicly identified pending family notification, though authorities confirmed all six on board were killed in the crash.

A Routine Journey Turned Tragic

The aircraft departed from Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York, at approximately 10:47 AM on Saturday. According to flight tracking data and local aviation authorities, the twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B was scheduled to land at Columbia County Airport in Hudson, New York, about 60 miles north.

Roughly 90 minutes into the flight, the aircraft began descending abruptly before losing radar contact at approximately 12:08 PM. Local emergency services were alerted within minutes, and a search was initiated using both aerial and ground units.

The wreckage was located in a field approximately 20 miles south of the intended landing site, in a section of Copake known for its rolling pastures and limited accessibility. Columbia County Undersheriff Jacqueline Salvatore confirmed that rescue efforts were significantly delayed due to the soggy, off-road terrain.

“The field where the crash occurred is quite muddy, and accessibility was a serious challenge. Emergency vehicles had to be rerouted, and even on foot, it was difficult,” she said during a press conference on Saturday afternoon.

All six individuals were pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigation Underway: NTSB Leads Federal Probe

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a comprehensive investigation into the crash, with a team of specialists arriving at the site Saturday evening. Initial findings suggest that weather was not a contributing factor, though mechanical failure or pilot incapacitation have not been ruled out.

“The MU-2B has a complex history in terms of its design and handling characteristics,” said Aviation Safety Analyst Mark Breyer, a former FAA examiner. “It is a powerful but unforgiving aircraft, and though the pilot, Dr. Groff, had flight experience, we’ll want to examine whether any aircraft anomalies occurred or if something changed in-flight.”

Flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders, if installed on the aircraft, will be critical in understanding the final moments of the flight. The aircraft was privately owned and maintained, according to FAA records, with a current certificate of airworthiness.

NTSB investigators are expected to release a preliminary report within 14 days, though full investigative conclusions could take up to a year.

Community in Mourning: Tributes Pour In

In Boston, where the Groff-Saini family lived for over two decades, the community was in shock.

Outside Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where Dr. Saini held privileges, flowers and hand-written notes were left by former patients, colleagues, and medical staff.

“She saved my life, and never made me feel like a number,” read one card.

At MIT, both Karenna Groff and James Santoro were remembered during an impromptu candlelight vigil organized by the student body on the steps of the Great Dome.

“Karenna was a pillar of our community,” said Dr. Marissa Kim, one of her former professors. “Her legacy isn’t just in awards or grades. It’s in the people she mentored, the doors she opened, and the lives she touched.”

The Santoro family, speaking through their patriarch John Santoro, described the Groff-Saini family as “more than friends; they were family.”

“We were so proud of James and Karenna—two brilliant, humble souls who found joy in each other. Michael and Joy were mentors to all of us. This is a loss we can’t yet fathom.”

A Legacy of Giving and Service

All four identified victims shared not only a profound intellectual aptitude but also a deep commitment to improving the world around them.

Karenna, despite her academic and athletic achievements, volunteered weekly at a community clinic in Cambridge. She had once described the work as “keeping me grounded and connected to why I studied medicine in the first place.”

James had recently submitted a joint patent application for a solar-powered filtration system designed for rural and disaster-stricken communities. He hoped to test prototypes in the Caribbean later this year.

Dr. Groff was active in medical training programs for underserved medical students and had recently launched a nonprofit aimed at improving surgical access in low-resource hospitals in Latin America.

Dr. Saini spent part of each summer in India conducting mobile clinics for women in rural villages, providing access to gynecological care and cancer screenings.

Funeral Plans and Memorials

The families have requested privacy as they make funeral arrangements. A joint memorial service is being planned in Boston later this week and will likely draw colleagues and dignitaries from around the country.

MIT has also announced plans to posthumously award Karenna and James the university’s Lemelson Humanitarian Engineering Medal, an honor typically reserved for alumni who have made extraordinary contributions to human welfare.

A scholarship in Karenna’s name is also being established for women in STEM who are student-athletes, reflecting her dual passions.

Remembering the Unnamed

As of this writing, the names of the remaining two victims have not been released. Authorities have confirmed that both were family acquaintances traveling with the Groff-Saini family. Once next of kin are notified, those names are expected to be shared.

Closing Thoughts

The crash in Copake is more than an aviation tragedy—it is a deeply human one. It has taken from the world a constellation of lives bound by purpose, intellect, empathy, and love.

“The world lost